Poker Night 570: Club Crackers

Many poker rooms have cash game "bad beat jackpots", by the hour or based on a particular combination of cards. Players in tournaments usually don't qualify for them. That's too bad - because we were in the middle of one Wednesday night at Hollywood Casino Indiana:

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs-7 of hearts

The dealers have not been kind to us so far. Few quality cards have come, yet we bluffed two of them into a modest pot at one point. This Ace is worth trying, especially with no one at the table of eight raising. We call, and about four players get in.

ON THE FLOP: 6c-8c-As

There's the top pair, right there! The play checks to us, and we bet 250. Two players call - and as they do, we note those clubs. If more of them, we feel secure with the "nuts" card.

ON THE TURN: 7c

There's a fourth club - and while we don't notice it right away, we have two pair. We check to see if our opponents are trigger-happy. Sure enough - a man to our left bets 550. Then a man to our right raises to 1,500! What's going on here? Does someone have a pocket pair which turned into three of a kind?

We ponder this a moment, then consider we have about 11,000 chips. It's our biggest risk of the night so far, but decide it's worth taking. We call. So does the man who raised first.

ON THE RIVER: Ad

Yes!! Our persistence leads to a full house.We check once more. So does the man to our left. But the player to the right goes all-in, for 4,550! This is the moment we've been waiting for.

"I'll call," we say with no hesitation.

"I'll fold. Your full house is good," says the man to the left.

"I actually have a full house," we say as we show. Surely we've won this big....

"But he has a straight flush," the dealer points out.

WHAT?!?! Sure enough - the man who pushed displays 5-9 of clubs! He won the pot on the turn, and his bet tried to warn us - but we pushed on to our hurt.

That bad beat was a big blow to us, leaving our stack at 4,250. We fought back with some good rounds in the blinds, reaching 7,550 at the one-hour break and surviving to the final table with 5,500. In our first hand after arriving there, we went for the bundle by going all-in with A-J of clubs.

Trouble is, two other players pushed as well - one with A-J, the other with A-K. Another King on the turn secured that other player a huge pot and a double take-out. We finished the evening tied for ninth out of 17 players (officially tenth).

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Welcome to Hollywood, the place where dreams come true. What's your dream?"

Our first dealer said this several times. We thought it was from a commercial for the casino. He eventually explained it's a line from the movie Pretty Woman. But when he asked us that question, we were thrown for a moment.

"My dream is that this is a nice flop," we answered first. (It was the pre-flop bidding.)

After the flop (which, we should note, was not that nice for us), we had a better answer. "I have other dreams, though. I dream of Jesus Christ coming back to set up the Kingdom of God on this earth."

That should be the ultimate dream of a believer in Jesus. Yet this is a "dream" in our modern-day thinking about them. The Old Testament of that Bible talks about many dreams, which were actually messages from God. But there's also this moment....

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.... - Psalm 126:1-2

Some Bible commentaries indicate this was written to celebrate Israel's return to Jerusalem in the era of Ezra and Nehemiah. We'd call it a "dream come true" for that people.

There are many dreams that only God can bring to pass. Only God can bring back Jesus Christ, although we can pray deeply for it (Revelation 22:20). But sometimes, your dream depends a lot on you....

It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. - Proverbs 13:19 (NLT)

Could God be blocking a dream in your life, because of your evil ways - or, in old-fashioned language, your sins? This verse certainly indicates that. So do some others....

...You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. - James 4:2-3

Bottom line: Pray for God to fulfill your dreams - but check your own life first. Is your motive for the dream proper? Or would it take you down a funnel into deeper sin and more trouble? This is a good time of year for "self-examination" (II Corinthians 13:5) of all our lives.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 217 final tables in 570 games (38.1%) - 46 cashes. Since passing the 500-game mark, we've made 34 final tables out of 70 games. That's one game short of 50 percent!

Poker Night 549: Monsters' Ball

Courtesy Fox19.com

If we had gone to Jack Casino for poker tonight, we might have encountered this. A small "colony" of homeless people (their word for it) has set up a tent camp across from the casino.

We left it to that group to send someone inside, to try and win enough money to gain everyone housing. They probably would have done better than we did tonight at the alternative, Hollywood Casino Indiana....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 9-9

It's the fourth hand of the night, with a full table of ten. The previous hand brought an awe-striking fold - as a woman with pocket Kings gave them up, when a man with pocket Aces went all-in pre-flop.

We were in the Big Blind then, and folded a measly 4-8. Now we're in the Small Blind, and no one has raised.

"I'm not going to do what he did," we say, "but I'll raise." We make it 150 to go, and three players take us on.

ON THE FLOP: 8s-8d-8h

It's a toll-free flop - and an immediate full house for us! This calls for a continuation bet, to see who's simply chasing big cards. We put out 400. The first opponent folds. The second calls. The third folds. So we're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 4h

We doubt this helped our opponent at all. But what does he have? A full house of his own? We check, hoping to get a clue - but he checks, too.

ON THE RIVER: 2h

Now three hearts are showing. If he stumbled into a flush, we still have him topped. The larger concern is a larger pocket pair. So we make a rather cautious bet of 500.... and he raises to 2,500.

We've taken the lead in this hand, so we feel compelled to see it through to the end. We call. "Do you have a full house?" we ask.

"I have the 8," he says. OUCH!!! He hit quads on the flop, then waited us out! A good, well-played monster hand for him. We won a few hundred chips back minutes later with a hidden A-Q.

But then, when a man raised to 1,100, we saw pocket Aces in the Big Blind. Pushing like that earlier player did would have seemed too obvious, so we raised to 3,500. He called - and the flop was K-Q-10. For no good reason except to scare him away, we bet 5,000. Our opponent went all-in. We feared the worst, but called anyway. His cards: Q-Q. The turn and river didn't save us, and we finished our worst poker night this year - first out, in under 30 minutes.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "We're all playing with a short deck," the dealer said at one point in the early minutes.

"Now you're getting philosophical," we told him with tongue-in-cheek. But we admitted, "I need to grow in knowledge." And when our turn with the cards came, we explained, "I need to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ."

That reminder comes right out of the New Testament:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. - II Peter 3:18

These closing words of the apostle Peter should be taken in their entirety. For years, we attended church groups that emphasized the "knowledge" part - but on knowing scriptures, more than knowing the One who is the focus of Scripture. The two should go hand-in-hand....

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. - Colossians 1:9

Spiritual wisdom means a "sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7, KJV). We'll admit we really didn't have it in our last hand of the night.

We should have realized the flop gave our opponent an excellent chance of hitting two high pair or three of a kind. Yet instead of making the awe-striking fold like that woman did, we did our own version of "going on tilt" - hoping the longshots that bit us recently would turn around and help us.

So the knowledge of Jesus Christ is important - but so is His grace. We need it, after clearly making a bad decision to go out for a poker night instead of staying home to work on other things. But thankfully, we can do this....

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. - Hebrews 4:16

Do you need God's mercy for some reason - perhaps something much bigger than a poker meltdown? Ask God for it in prayer, repenting of sin if the case requires it. He's willing to listen and forgive.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 202 final tables in 549 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

Poker Night 548: When Push Comes to Shove

We have some serious soul-searching to do, after tonight's poker tournament at Jack Casino. We'll explain why, after we review a hand that turned our night around....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-5 offsuit

We've won a few modest pots. We've lost a few as well, so we sit at around 10,100 chips - below our starting allocation of 15,000 chips. This hand is worth playing, but carefully. We get in small, and no one raises. As we recall, three players are in at a small table of six.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-2h-3d

We make top pair, and have a straight draw to boot. But the heavy-set man sitting to our left wants to be the aggressor. He bets 800. Given what we have, we certainly call. Now we're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: Qc

That missed for us. Maybe our opponent senses that, because he raises the stakes to 1,600. We suspect he has an Ace - but does he have a better kicker? We still have top pair, so we call with it.

ON THE RIVER: Kh

Another high card only complicates things further. Our opponent doesn't back down, betting another 1,600. We have 7,500 left, and have invested a lot of chips in this pot. We fear he has us out-kicked. So we sense there's only one thing left to do.

"I'm all-in," we say. Consider the fact that the bets have been modest, with no increase on the river. That leads us to think our opponent is not all that comfortable with his cards. Are we right?

"I was afraid you'd hit that flush," he says - and folds! Flush?!?! Oh yeah. Now we notice three hearts are showing. But we didn't have any hearts. Only, well, a "brave-heart" bluff that takes a big pot.

Some big winning cards came after that - including A-10 which turned into three of a kind, and unshown pocket Kings for a Big Blind special win. We cautiously reached the final table with 22,600 chips.

But now comes the soul-searching part. With nine players left, we limped in with A-Q. A man pushed, we called him - and he had A-J!

"I don't feel very good about this, sir," he said.

"I'm sorry," we answered....

ON THE FLOP: J-x-x (don't remember the other cards)

...."But I think you feel better about it now!" Our opponent leads. The table is entranced, as the dealer moves on....

ON THE TURN: Q

But now we lead! And we have a Jack flashback. "Two times ago when I was here [really three], this sort of thing happened...."

ON THE RIVER: J

".... and it just happened AGAIN!!" we exclaim. Another amazing case of the lead changing three times in five cards - with the opponent making a "two-outer" for three of a kind!

The opponent had a few more chips than we did. So we left the poker room mumbling to ourselves. At least we reached the final table again, but a ninth-place finish left us disappointed.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A frustrating loss for another player as the final table approached led him to mutter, "Jesus Christ."

"King of Kings and Lord of Lords," we said in response.

The man said nothing about our reaction. But it comes from a big event that may not be very far away....

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. - Revelation 19:11

This is a vision about a coming conquering King. Can you guess the identity? Keep reading for more clues....

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. - Revelation 19:13

The apostle John wrote these words - and he also wrote that "the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1-2). That Word/God "became flesh" (verse 14), leading to the obvious conclusion that it refers to Jesus Christ. But back to that vision....

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. - Revelation 19:16

Read the entire chapter to learn about the real "war to end all wars." A sword is prophesied to come out of the rider's mouth to "strike down the nations" (verses 15, 21). A time of judgment for all people will follow that (Revelation 20:12). We think it will be far better to be on the right side of Biblical history....

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.... they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

Only three players won money at the poker tournament tonight. Many more can be part of the first resurrection, to join Jesus as He returns to Earth. Will you accept Him as your Savior, to help make that victory possible?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 202 final tables in 548 games (36.9%) - 41 cashes.

Poker Day 527: The Perfect Storm

The old cliché says lightning never strikes twice in the same place. But is that really true? Before we answer, take a look at an amazing hand today in the tournament at Kansas Star Casino.... and yes, there will be a connection:

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: K-Q offsuit

We won two nice pots in the first hour, including one with pocket Aces. Then A-J paid off to eliminate a player, and move us to 7,700. But a couple of hands before this one, an amazing thing happened. We pushed with K-K, ran into a man with A-A - yet we caught a King on the river to stay alive!

So we start this hand with more than 14,000 chips. The man we beat moments earlier is sitting two seats to our right, and going all in for 2,500.

"I'll help him out," we say as we call - realizing he could be pushing with anything. But two other men at the table call. This could be huge.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-8

We're quietly thrilled by this - top two pair! We're first in line and bet 2,000, expecting the other men in the hand to concede. Trouble is, they both call. Do they have pocket Kings or Queens?

"This could buy you right back in," a man out of the hand says to the player who went all-in.

ON THE TURN: 9

Seemingly harmless - but now we want to make sure, and we have the chip stack to back it up.

"Four-thousand," we say - emphasis on the four. A young man at the end of the table ponders it for a moment. Then he goes all in! And if that's not enough, the other man in the hunt pushes behind him! Have our worst fears become reality?

"I'll do it," we say - becoming the fourth player to go all in. After all, we've committed a lot of money to the pot and our hand is strong.

The dealer sorts out all the chips, and it turns out we have fewer than the man at the far end. So there are two sidepots. But who has what? It's time to show....

Man at far end: A-K
Man across the table: A-K
Man who pushed for 2,500 to start all this: A-Q

"I have two pair, though," we point out. No one else does, so we have a big lead!

CORRECTED: Let's take a moment to analyze this. All four Kings are showing. If a Queen comes on the river, we make a full house to beat the first pusher's three of a kind. No straight or flush is in play. The only thing that can hurt us is the lone remaining Ace. We can knock out two players out, win a massive (estimated) 40,000 chips and probably cruise to the final table - if we dodge one card.

ON THE RIVER: A

"Yes!" understandably says the man at the far end. Based on what's showing, the odds of that Ace coming are 39 to one!

The two men with A-K split all the chips. The two players knocked out include us - as we finish tied for 22nd place, out of 56 entries.

So yes, in poker lightning can strike twice at the same table. And in real life, it can happen as well. The Empire State Building gets it several times a year.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man sitting next to us mentioned the time he walked past a slot machine modeled after TV horror movie host Elvira. "Suddenly it said, 'Come here and play with me.'" That shook the man up a bit.

"Try the voices," we advised him, "to see what sort of voices they are."

We were reminded on Christian radio this evening of a young man in the Bible who faced somewhat the same situation.

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am!" And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me".... - I Samuel 3:3-5

But Eli explained he didn't call Samuel, and sent him back to bed. Then the call by God happened a second time, with a similar response....

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord.... Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. - I Samuel 3:7-8

Eli was one of God's priests (I Samuel 1:3), so he was clearly sensitive to such things. He sent Samuel back to bed with different instructions (3:9).

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." - I Samuel 3:10

That marked the official start of a long and beautiful relationship between God and Samuel. In perhaps the same way, we would ask: Is God calling you - perhaps not through dreams, but through other people or events in your life?

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call. - Acts 2:39

If God "makes the call" on your life, "call" as in poker. Go heads-up with Him, but in a humble way. After all, He holds all the cards - but we think going all-in for God is the best decision you'll ever make.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 191 final tables in 527 games (36.2%) - 39 cashes. Experiment update: Down $75.

The Worst of Times

"I had trip Kings," the man told us about a recent poker night. "He made an inside straight on the flop." And thus the man lost a hand he thought sure he'd win.

If you've played poker for any length of time, you probably have a story like that. Bad beats happen. And when they happen to us, they sting - perhaps for a long time. They might even be enough to drive you away from ever playing poker again.

Yet we heard a minister say on radio the other night that if you fail once, that does not mean you're an absolute failure. A lot depends on how you respond to that failed moment - and that moment of setback could be a springboard to future success. Take this historic moment....

So about three thousand men went up, but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about 36 of them.... At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. - Joshua 7:4-5

This defeat in battle brought the leader of Israel to his knees (verse 6). Then God bluntly told him what was the problem:

Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. - Joshua 7:11

God refused to support Israel anymore until the sin and sinner were removed (verses 12-13). Once that happened, God was back on Israel's side:

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land." - Joshua 8:1

The rest of the chapter shows Israel gaining victory there. But can it really be that easy for us? Well, at least it's a good place to start....

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23-24

As much as we don't want to admit it, sometimes we're the problem - in the poker room and in life. It takes some courage to ask God to show you where you're wrong. But if you ask Him to do so in a loving way, He can do that - and He can put you back on the road to success, if you'll do what He says.

Perfectly Timed

The more we ponder our last poker tournament, the more we think about the hand we saw, but couldn't play - the "bad beat" shown on ESPN. We mentioned how Vanessa Selbst had pocket Aces, and developed a full house with Aces over 7's.

But Gaelle Baumann (pictured) had pocket 7's which turned into quads by the turn. One bet led to a raise, and Selbst was put all-in and eliminated. Selbst was wise enough to ask Baumann if she had quads after calling.

The timing of the cards was terrible for Selbst. But it was perfect for more than Baumann. It was perfect for ESPN, which had the two ladies at a feature table playing "live" on a Sunday afternoon (tournament rules require a 30-minute delay). A lot of poker hands can be mundane, but that was great TV drama.

We can think of Someone else who has a tremendous sense of timing....

...A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light.... - Titus 1:2-3

God lives beyond time and space. He had no "beginning" in eternity past, as hard as that is for humans to understand. Yet God timed out a "season" for bringing meaning to Old Testament scriptures - especially the prophecies of a messiah.

...This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus.... - II Timothy 1:9-10

When the time was right, Jesus came. In fact, some Bible scholars say Jesus's ministry began in exact timing to fulfill prophetic times of Daniel 9 - a topic too complex for us to explain here.

But there's one remaining time mystery in the Bible. It's one many have tried to figure out, sometimes to their own embarrassment....

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11

When will Jesus Christ return? Lots of believers want to know. While we don't know for sure, it's a good idea to be ready for Him now....

So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. - Matthew 24:44

The Boy Scouts would say, "be prepared" - even for the return of Jesus. To miss out on that could be the worst play of all.

Poker Day 503: The Best of Intentions

"See ya, Vanessa!" someone said at the Kansas Star Casino poker room today as the first few hands unfolded.

It wasn't aimed at anyone in the room, but the big screen TV on the wall. The opening round of the World Series of Poker Main Event was on ESPN, and Vanessa Selbst was being bad-beat eliminated -- A-A for a full house falling to Gaelle Baumann's 7-7 for quads.

It was easy to be distracted by the high-stakes poker game on the big screen. But we tried to learn some tips from the ESPN coverage, as we competed in our own Sunday tournament.

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We've won a few modest pots during the day, but taken some chances that didn't work. We've never been above the 12,000-chip starting point, and start this hand at 6,600. Sitting in the leadoff seat, we quietly call and wait to see if others jump at a fairly active table. No one raises, but five players are in.

ON THE FLOP:  J-4-7 (third card might not be precise)

An overpair will work for us. After the blinds check, we bet 2,000. A man wearing a Missouri sweatshirt calls, while everyone else folds. We suspect he paired the board, but nothing more.

At this moment, the dealer notices our card protector - so our MINISTRY MOMENT will be mixed in with this.  "That looks like the last supper," he says.

"It is," we respond.

ON THE TURN: 9

"Well, this could be my last supper," we remark. We go all-in for the last 4,000.

"You've got me," our opponent says. Yet he reaches for chips and calls, anyway.  He shows what we expected - a Jack, with a 10. He's being courteous to us, so....

ON THE RIVER: J

OUCH!!!! Our opponent really didn't expect that. But he gets a third Jack on the river, and a handshake from us. It's not quite Selbst v. Baumann, but the result still hurts. We're knocked out the hard way, finishing 54th out of 77 players.

Now back to the Ministry Moment. Do you know why Christians refer to it as the "last supper"? It's because of these words of Jesus:

And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." - Luke 22:15-16

The meal was an evening Passover feast - something Jesus kept as a Jew by birth, but also as the God of creation:

The Lord's Passover begins at twilight on the 14th day of the first month. - Leviticus  23:5

After that "supper," Jesus was arrested and executed. So it was His last one as a human on earth. But here's the good news - Jesus was resurrected, and is preparing to come back to earth. When that happens, another supper is coming!

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are they who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added: 'These are the true words of God.'" - Revelation 19:9

This is the "Lamb" once described this way....

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" - John 1:29

Jesus's execution actually fulfilled God's great plan - as a human "Passover lamb." His blood can remove your sin if you accept Him, then clear the path for you to be part of His great wedding supper in the Kingdom of God. If you're not sure how to secure your place at that magnificent banquet, leave a comment and we'll be pleased to help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 184 final tables in 503 games (36.6%) - 37 cashes.
.

Poker Night 483: Big Blind Extra-Special

The Olympic Games may have lost their luster for the Monday night poker crowd at Yvie's. Tonight the top choice for the big screen in the poker room was a Major League Baseball game, rooting for a team barely in the playoff running. We could relate to that sort of "hanging on for dear life" in our tournament....

BLINDS: 3,000/6,000

IN THE POCKET: A-Q offsuit

The blinds are high and the number of players is small. After a sizable loss with these very same cards in the first hand of the night, we've clawed uphill to get a bit above the starting 10,000-chip mark. But we start this hand with 9,000 - and with ten players remaining (two tables of five), we're desperate for a big gain.

"All of it," we say as the 9,000 goes out. The Big Blind decides to risk 3,000 more to take us on. But she doesn't have much - a mere 5-7. Good for us, right?

ON THE FLOP: 5-A-5

Well, no. She has three of a kind, to top our two pair. An Ace could save us....

ON THE TURN: 5

But no - that other card comes! We have a full house - but we also have a bad beat. The woman scores the best hand of the tournament night, with quad 5's. The last card doesn't matter, and we fall short of the final table with a ninth-place finish. (A player at the other table bowed out seconds before we did.)

MINISTRY MOMENT: We dealt one hand where a woman was all in, but in big trouble. She had a 6, to make a straight on the turn - but another woman had 6-9 for a higher straight. The first woman's only hope was to make a flush on the river.

"You need a diamond?!" we said to confirm. Two diamonds were on the board. And then we dealt....

ON THE RIVER: Kd

Woman #1 was thrilled. Others at the table were amazed. "Is that all you have to do?" one player wondered. "Simply ask for a card?"

"Ask and ye shall receive," we smiled in response. "I read that in a book once."

Then we added a bit more to a man at our left, hoping to drive home the point. "I think the Person who said that has more power than I do."

You may recognize the quote, but do you understand what we meant by it?

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. - John 16:24

Jesus said these words on the night before He was crucified. He made other statements which seem to make clear His point involved prayer:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives.... - Matthew 7:7-8

Talk about a promise! Asking God for things in prayer is good. But Jesus explained asking in His name is the New Testament way to do it.

...I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. - John  16:23b

But we fear some Christians (including some preachers) have taken this promise to an extreme - suggesting that with the right amount of faith, God will give you anything in any amount at any time. Yet think about this logically. If eight God-fearing poker players asked for God's help in winning at a final table, wouldn't someone still have to lose?

Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." - James 4:15

That's a major key to a successful life in Jesus Christ - accepting God's will for your life, whether he honors your asking for success or allows you to endure failure. That's why the model prayer of Jesus for us to follow includes the phrase, "Your will be done...." (Matthew 6:10)

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 179 final tables in 483 games (37.1%)  - 34 cashes. Our final table record at Yvie's this year is a rather skimpy two-for-eight.

Poker Day 456: Small Blind Ordinary

Many poker players dream of hitting the "Big Blind Special" - strong cards in the Big Blind that bring a huge pot.  Today at Arrowhead Poker, we had that once.  But could history repeat itself, to keep us alive in a tournament?

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET: Ac-5s (suits may not be precise)

We've had an up-and-down day at this one-table 10-player tournament.  We scored a big gain when 9-10 in the Big Blind turned into a King-high straight, and we topped a man with three Jacks.  But then we lost about half our stack when we made three Jacks on the river, and lost to a straight.

Now we're in the Big Blind with 37,000 chips, looking for a big moment.  No one raises in front of us, so we call and hope.

ON THE FLOP: 8-8-5

Two pair and top kicker looks very good!  The Small Blind checks.  We could push right now, but instead we bet 10,000 and try to finesse as much out of the table as possible. A man to our left calls, as do two others.

ON THE TURN: 8

Now we have a full house -- and we really have little choice.  "All of it," we say after the Small Blind checks. We commit our last 23,000.

"I'll call," the man to our left says. Uh-oh - that's not exactly what we wanted to hear. What if he has an 8, for a higher full house?

A man across the table folds. The Small Blind thinks it over, then calls. Huh?!  Could they both be trying to outbluff each other?

ON THE RIVER: J

The only way this seems to change anything is if someone has pocket Jacks.  The two remaining players who can bet check each other.

"I've got an Ace," the Small Blind says. (Actually A-9.) Good.

"I've got a full house," we say hopefully as we show.

Then the man to our left turns over.... 8-5!!! It was what we feared, and in abundance! He hit his full house on the flop, and we never had any real hope.  We shake his head, shake our head and leave the table in seventh place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: On one hand, the flop was 6-6-6.

"A beast flop," we declared. "And on All Saints Day!"

A man across the table recognized what we were talking about - and as we left the table after finishing seventh, we repeated it. "May you all be saints, on this All Saints Day."

Let's make one thing clear right away: we are not Roman Catholic. All Saints Day is a traditionally Catholic event. It's not a day we personally celebrate (short of buying Halloween candy at half-price). But we realize several of our fellow players are Catholic - and we tried to offer a thought-provoking comment about it as we left.

We didn't grasp until we reviewed the link that All Saints Day is supposed to be a "solemn holy day." The Bible lists several "holy days" of God (see Leviticus 23), and this is NOT one of them. But our question to the table would be what we're asking you: Are you a saint?  Now - even before you die?

Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. - Psalm 30:4

Could this command really be given to dead people?  We think living saints are supposed to sing praise. But how do we define a saint - or better put, how does the Bible define one?

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? - I Corinthians 6:2

Note the distinction: "the saints" and "you" are the same things to the apostle Paul. This letter was written to....

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours. - I Corinthians 1:2

So saints appear to be church members, sanctified believers and people who call on Jesus's name. The fact that saints were mentioned in Psalms indicates they existed in Old Testament times, as well as New.

How else would you identify a saint?  Offer comments if you wish; we'll share more about this in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 170 final tables in 456 games (37.3%) - 29 cashes.

A Miracle Now and Then

Final tables on the Heartland Poker Tour always seem to be good for a "bad beat."

We saw one case on a telecast today, where a man with 2-2 flopped 2-4-9 on the flop for three of a kind.  His opponent went all-in with 9 high, and appeared doomed.  The turn brought a 4, which paired the board and gave the leader a full house.  But the river was a 9, giving the bad bettor a winning superior full house to stay in the tournament!

Have you ever seen "miracle cards" like that come?  If you'd played poker for any length of time, you probably have.  But have you stopped to consider a larger miracle?

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst."  Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. - John 19:28-29  (KJV)

Jesus was moments away from death -- yet His simple request led to the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah:

They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. - Psalm 69:21 (KJV)

That psalm was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Yet someone in the crowd outside Jerusalem just happened to have vinegar to give the Lord at His dying moment.

C'mon now -- "just happened"?  This is one of many "miraculous" events about the life of Jesus which were foretold in the Old Testament. hundreds of years in advance.  And we think the odds of the vinegar event coming true were a lot higher than catching a 4 or a 9 on the river.

Believers in Jesus are focusing right now on His life, death and resurrection. If you never have, we think you should.  Put the Bible to an accuracy test. The results might beat any strategy you have for your life - and the life beyond this one.

Poker Day 434: Clash of the Titans

The manager of Arrowhead Poker admits Sunday action starts slowly.  But there still can be plenty of action, even in a one-table tournament.  We faced some big hands today, but we're deferring to one where we simply watched:

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET:  Q-10 offsuit

To be honest, we don't absolutely remember what we had in this hand.  But we know we still had 9,000 chips in the fifth round of blinds, after winning several pots.  And we folded pre-flop, so it must not have been very impressive.  We know Q-10 came up at some point late in the tournament, and it seemed too marginal to play with our chip stack so precarious.

ON THE FLOP: 6h-5h-4h

We murmur noisily at the sight of this - three suited cards in a row.  Seven players are still in the running, including the manager.  As we recall, he made a bet which chased all but one player (the only woman at the table) away.

ON THE TURN: 7h

The plot thickens further - with four suited cards in a row.  Now both players check.

ON THE RIVER: 8c

So there's a straight on the table, but that may be the least of our issues.  The manager now goes all-in.  The woman thinks about it for a moment or two.  Is that a big bluff?  She decides it is, and calls.

The manager turns over.... 8h!  It's not a bluff; he has a straight flush!

The woman shows.... 3h-Ah!  She had the Ace for an old-fashioned "nut flush," and the 3 gave her a straight flush of her own -- but not the winning one.  She's eliminated in seventh place, with a true bad beat.

It was our turn to go all-in a few hands later, as we faced the Big Blind with our last 10,000 chips.  We had K-J, but a man called with A-J.  Two Aces on the board settled the matter, and we were ousted in sixth place -- better, but not in the money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed our "Lord's Supper" card protector to a man on our right -- the one with an artist's depiction of Jesus on the flip side.  "I don't really think he looks like that," we said of the depiction showing a long-haired Lord.

"I don't know," the man said.  "Maybe they weren't able to cut hair back then."

We didn't tell the man this, but that theory doesn't match the Bible at all.  Consider one of the most infamous haircuts in recorded history:

So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazarite set apart to God since birth.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." - Judges 16:17

These are the words of Samson - a man who had his hair in seven braids.  When Delilah put Samson to sleep and her friend shaved off those braids, indeed "his strength left him" (verse 19).  In fact....

Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!"  He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free."  But he did not know that the Lord had left him. - Judges 16:20

Not only did Samson's strength go away -- the Lord went away.  It's curious to us that Samson bluffed (as in lied to) Delilah three times earlier in this chapter about the source of his strength.  When Samson finally told the truth, God responded by leaving him!

What sort of lessons should we learn from this?  In terms of poker, we think there's one obvious lesson -- don't lie in pressure situations.  Samson may not have realized he was in one, with his invincible strength at stake.

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth. - Proverbs  16:13

We think this especially applies to the "King of Kings," Jesus Christ.  Would Samson have kept his strength, had he told the truth to Delilah right away?  We're left to guess -- but in poker, we think it's better to say nothing about your hand before showdown, instead of lying and breaking God's command against offering a "false witness" (Exodus 20:16, KJV).

NOTE: There's more to the conversation with that man at the table; we'll get to it in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 154 final tables in 434 games (35.5%) - 25 cashes.  Until more players show up, the final table count will keep piling up.

Bitter Bread

You're dealt pocket Queens, but face A-K and lose.  Or you're dealt pocket Aces and push, only to watch someone else make a flush that beats you.

What's a poker player to do?  It's easy to let it affect your play in upcoming games.  If you do that, you might be falling prey to one of the biggest potential perils -- worrying too much.

We heard a sermon on Christian radio this week which claimed (based on scientific research, we suppose) only eight percent of the things people worry about ever come to pass.  Yet if the minister was trying to dissuade people from worrying, he hurt his point when he told the story of a 1940s artist who built a mountain home to protect his children from city traffic - only to run over a toddler in his driveway.

Terrible tragedies in this world can make anyone concerned about the future.  So can a series of bad beats in a poker room.  Yet the Bible advises....

Vain is it to rise early for your work, and keep at work so late, gaining your bread with anxious toil! God's gifts come to his loved ones, as they sleep. - Psalm 127:2 (Moffatt)

People in Western cultures tend to be taught bitter-tasting things are bad, and sweet things are good.  Yet both can have benefits for you -- with bitter moments teaching us to savor sweet moments when they come.

We've attended church groups where a preacher might spend 15 minutes during a service listing examples of how the world grows more sinful and terrible by the day.  Despite it all, Jesus Christ told believers they should not worry about such things:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34

Why not worry?  Because the Bible promises Jesus will come again and remove this world's bitterness and anxieties.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away - Revelation 21:4

Accomplishing that will take time.  But we're entering a season of the year picturing how that will happen.  People who keep the Biblical "fall holy days" learn about Jesus bringing the Kingdom of God from heaven to this earth.

Those days start tonight, with what Jews call Rosh Hashanah and some Christians call the Feast of Trumpets.  We suggest you consider those days carefully, using the Bible as your guide and praying for understanding of what they mean.  We believe the "King of Kings" can provide the ultimate victory over all our worries and anxieties.

Poker Day 430: Give Me Five

Our calendar doesn't show this to be a week with a Monday holiday.  But it apparently was for a lot of people in the Kansas City area.  Either that, or we aren't the only ones taking vacation this week.

We traveled to Hollywood Casino for its big weekly Monday noon tournament, showed up 20 minutes early -- and found ourselves the seventh alternate in a 70-player field.  A large group of players waited outside the poker room as the tournament began, waiting apparently for an extra dealer to arrive.

We were ready to withdraw our name after one round of blinds, and try making money elsewhere in the casino.  But at two minutes left in the first round, ten names flashed and our table opened.  Would a little patience be a good thing?

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

Well, it looks like it could be!  It's our fifth hand at the table.  We folded the first three and got nowhere with the Big Blind in the fourth.  Now we have the Small Blind -- but long before our turn comes, the pot starts boiling.  The leadoff man raises to 600.  A player to our right re-raises to 2,200.  Then we look at our big pocket pair and choose to "smooth call," as the pros like to say.

But no -- the leadoff man goes chunky, and makes a "four bet" of 9,000.  We started with 7,500 (admittedly not taking 2,500 extra chips by giving the dealer a five-dollar "appreciation" chip).  So we face an all-in decision in the first real hand we play!

The man to our right ponders, then folds.  Now we ponder, only out loud.  "I can't in good conscience get rid of these cards," we say to the leadoff man.  "So I'll call."

We show our Queens.  He shows "big slick" A-K.  We feared something like A-A or K-K, so we feel good about this.  But he has six outs...

ON THE FLOP: K-J-8

....and he hits one right away.  Our opponent now has top pair.  Other players at the table say "ouch" in our behalf.  The man who re-raised and folded curses.  We'll get back to him.  Right now, we need serious help.

ON THE TURN: 10

Could this be it?  Suddenly there's an open-ended straight draw -- but the dealer isn't waiting around for us to speculate.

ON THE RIVER: 7

For the second day in a row, a big pocket pair is our undoing.  And the re-raiser is more upset than we are -- because he admits folding J-J!  He would have made three of a kind, winning everything.

Our $65 buy-in fee gets us five hands of poker, and a lowly finish in around 80th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We won back a little of our money in a short blackjack session.  And as we did, we showed a young man our Lord's Supper card protector (something you don't really need to use at a blackjack table).

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked him.  "Is He your Savior?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not sure," he answered thoughtfully.

"What would it take for you to be sure?"

"Some miracles, maybe."

Are you like this man -- looking for something spectacular or unusual to prove God and Jesus are legitimate?  If so, you're not alone....

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom. - I Corinthians 1:22

Yet Jesus showed great wisdom in many of His statements and actions while on Earth.  For an example, read on your own how Christ responded to demands about a woman supposedly caught in adultery (John 8:3-11).  And as for signs....

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive our demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. - Mark 16:17-18

We happen to know of church groups where the "signs" mentioned above have occurred.  They're not necessarily big megachurch groups with multiple weekend telecasts.  But demons have fled and amazing healing has happened.

We told the man miracles happen all the time, if we have eyes to see them.    We pray God brings him to see those things.  In the meantime, consider one other sign Jesus mentioned:

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. - Matthew 12:40

The Bible declares after three days, Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by many people (Acts 10:40-41).  Will you accept these signs - and the God who makes them possible?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 151 final tables in 430 games (35.1%) - 25 cashes.

The Great Debate

It's an issue probably as old as the game itself.  Is poker a game of simple luck - or is there skill involved?

The U.S. Supreme Court recently had a chance to settle that issue, at least in the eyes of the law.  But it did not.  The court turned down a case where a New York man had been convicted of running a "game of chance" in his business by hosting Texas Hold 'em games.  A federal judge sided with the business owner; an appeals court did not, saying state gambling laws include poker.

After playing poker for years, online and in person, we've concluded the answer to our question is not a simple either/or.  There's a bit of luck, in terms of right cards falling at the right times -- but there's also a measure of skill, in knowing how to play hands and when to make certain key moves.

If you think about it, that also can describe our lives in general.  For instance, a big tree could fall on top of your car while you're driving toward the poker room.  But if you see the tree moving out of the corner of your eye, you might be able to skillfully drive around its fall and escape damage.

In the same way, some people say God doesn't really control anything -- that our lives are simply the result of our own decisions and unexpected events.  They might actually quote a Bible verse to support that view:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

We emphasized the last part of that verse, because that happens in poker on occasion.  Poker rooms  have "bad beat jackpots" for a reason.  It's possible for two players to hit "quads" (four of a kind) in the same hand.  Even the best-looking hands played in the best possible way sometimes can run into something better.

Yet the Bible says God "rules in the kingdoms of men" (Daniel 4:17, KJV).  Perhaps He is the one intervening in certain situations -- perhaps to bless people, or possibly to punish them:

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. - Proverbs 16:33

So what's a believer (or even a poker player) to do?  We think the answer lies in doing the best you can with what you have, based on what you know.

...The wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him. - Ecclesiastes 8:5-6

The "wise" way may not always be the winning way.  But the Bible shows in the long run, it's the way that's best -- especially when that wisdom is based on the ways of God:

For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright.... - Proverbs 2:6-7

Five-Dollar Come Along. Part 2

So we sat down at the Ultimate Texas Hold 'em table -- but not the one we wanted.  The $5 table was full and seemed to have several people waiting.  So we went to the $10 table and turned in our lottery coupon.

We took only $60, and had to plunk down $20 at the start of every hand -- $10 for the blind, $10 for an "ante."  We made an early gain with two pair.  Then came this hand....

IN THE POCKET: K-3 offsuit

Unlike the other players at the table, we have NOT put down an extra $10 on the "trips" option.  If you make three of a kind or better, you win money no matter what the dealer shows.  We're choosing to follow the old advice of financial counselors and "build wealth slowly."  There's little reason to think we'll build here, so we check with these cards.

ON THE FLOP: A-10-3

A pair of 3's isn't bad -- especially considering we're only playing the dealer, whose cards are face-down and cannot be changed.  Even though it's bottom pair, we decide to be daring with a surplus.  We bet $20 more, locking in our hand.

ON THE TURN/RIVER: 3-7 (last card may not be precise)

Three times three equals win for me?!  We feel very good about this.  But if we had put $10 on "trips," we'd feel even better -- because that option alone would have assured us a $40 payout.

Now comes the showdown, and our dealer turns over.... 10-10!

That's a heartbreaking full house, which tops everyone at our table.  That's the peril of everybody playing any two cards -- although in regular Texas Hold 'em, the dealer probably would have raised pre-flop with his pocket pair and chased us away.

.We had a surplus for awhile, but would up quitting when out $60 dropped to $30.  It was a small loss, with a five-dollar lottery ticket offering hope for winning some of it back.

"I won $10," another person at our table said about his lottery ticket.  But alas, we did not.  None of the five games had matching numbers to win money -- although most of them came tantalizingly close.

What can we learn from all this?  Many things, probably.  We're reminded of how fleeting riches can be....

For riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. - Proverbs 27:24

A church elder told us years ago he considered the stock market gambling, every bit as much as a casino trip.  Stock prices indeed can go up and down every day.  We've found there are long-term gains in the market, as long as you don't panic at the low points.  And even if they drop....

He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.  He provides food for those who fear him; he remember his covenant forever. - Psalm 111:4-5

God can meet your needs, even in tough times -- especially the spiritual ones.  We can speak personally of God doing that for us in recent years, during job trials.  Are you trusting in a savings account to help you through -- or in a God who can provide all that, and the even more valuable gift of eternal life?

Poker Day 418: Omaha, Hike

There may have been competition before, when it comes to poker rooms in our city.  But there certainly is now.  After seeing a front-page ad in a weekly newspaper, today we went to Winners Cardroom - a room which has been open only about a month, and still had things being installed as we waited to play.

The set-up is similar to River City Card Room - with "free" tournaments every day, if you pay a $20 "chair rental."  One big difference is that food and drink costs money at Winners, instead of being free.  Another is that you can buy five "tip chips" to pay the dealer during the games, in exchange for 5,000 bonus chips.

Call us a cheapskate, but we plunked down only $20 to take our chances -- at what turned out to be a one-table "Dealer's Choice" affair:

BLINDS: 100/200

FORMAT: Omaha Hi/Lo

IN THE POCKET: 7-5-6-J

Someone else selected this format.  We certainly would not, because we've had no success at it.  But three connectors in a row seems "good to go" for us, so we call.  Keep in mind, Omaha rules only allow players to use two of their pocket cards in building hands -- and in "Hi/Lo," the highest and lowest hands will split the pot.

ON THE FLOP: 7-K-4

We have a pair, but hope for much more.  Our 5-6 gives us an open-ended straight draw.  We've lost a little of our starting stack, so we want to stick around.  As best we recall, a player to our left bet around 700, and we called.

ON THE TURN: 10

No, that's not it.  Now, as best we remember, the player to our left put out 1,200.  With that straight draw still possible, we call again -- as a man to our right who's already folded mumbles something about having a 9-8.  Uh-oh.  That would be a higher straight than ours.

ON THE RIVER: 3

That's it!  At least, we hope so.  Now we bet 1,000 (as best we recall).  A couple of people call.  Then we announce, "56 Straight."

Our two "hole cards" wind up succeeding!  The straight wins the "high" side of the pot.  Then the dealer declares we also have the "low" side -- apparently from the 5-6 joining with 3-4-10?! (We invite readers to help us understand this.)  We take every chip in play, and a pot in the thousands.

This started us on a run to take several hands in the first hour.  We reached a high of 50,000 chips (from a starting 15,100).  But then the winning stopped, as our chip stack slowly eroded due to rising blinds.

We stayed alive at one point on an all-in bet with three Jacks.  But then another Omaha hand came with five players remaining, and were forced to go all-in for our last 10,000 chips.  The cards gave up a club flush -- but our clubs were 3-2, and someone else had two higher clubs to defeat us.

On a day with an estimated 12 players floating in and out, we wound up fifth.  Only the top two players won money, but it still was a rather satisfying finish in a format we admittedly don't feel comfortable playing.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Before the game began, two men were talking about recent bad beats they had in cash games.  One man described having J-J, and feeling thrilled about a flop of J-10-10.  Then he was shocked to see 10-10 on the turn and river -- and another man with a King wound up with the better quads!

"That's a sign from God that's it's time to get out," the other man told him.  Interesting.

"But doesn't God give signs that things are going well?!" we asked moments later.

The man seemed reluctant to accept that -- but let's consider this issue.  Signs are discussed many times in the Bible.  Take this example given by Jesus:

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.... - Matthew 24:30

If you saw this sign of Christ, what would your reaction be?  Would it be positive or negative?  Jesus continues:

....and all the nations of the earth will mourn.  They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:30b

The nations will mourn when they the sign of Jesus's second coming.  Why?  Probably because the nations as a whole have doubted God's existence, or didn't think the Bible meant what it said.  Yet those who believe in Jesus will have no reason to mourn....

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. - Matthew 24:31

Other verses show God's "elect" will meet Jesus in the air, at His second coming (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) - and they'll live with the Lord forever.  The sign of the Son of Man will be absolutely positive for them.  So it comes down to a simple question: how do you look at Jesus -- and do you believe His promise about a second coming?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 146 final tables in 418 games (34.9%) - 24 cashes.  Today marked our first final table in the last six live tournaments, and the first since late September.

Poker Day 414: O-No-Maha

If the game is nothing but Texas Hold 'em, we probably can hold our own.  But add other games, and things could be different.  The current Sunday format at River City Poker Room has alternating blinds: first Texas Hold 'em, then high-hand Omaha.  That meant things started well for us today.  And then....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: J-J-3-2 (Omaha)

We own an early pot with A-3, when the Ace paired.  But in the last hand, we lost several thousand chips with Q-J-9-8.  Even though the board showed J-10-A-8 to give us a well-hidden straight (you can only use two of your four cards to make a hand in Omaha), an Ace on the river gave a man to our left quad Aces.

Surely that can't happen again, so we raise to 1,000 with a good pocket pair.  About half the players at our table of six calls.

ON THE FLOP: K-10-6 (third card may not be precise)

The flop is a rainbow, which works to our advantage.  But without top pair, we decide to play carefully instead of making a continuation bet.  We check; so do everyone else.

ON THE TURN: K

The board pairs -- but we suspect someone with a King would have bet by now.  So sitting first in the order, we bet 700.  A player in the middle of the table folds, but a man on the other side calls.

ON THE RIVER: K

A third King gives us a full house, and we see no need to hesitate.  We bet 3,000.

"I'll raise," our opponent says -- a double to 6,000.  This is a bit puzzling.  He probably has a pocket pair for his own full house, but ours is too high to let go.  We have to call.

And then.... the man shows a King.  Quads again!  We lose to a huge hand for the second time in a row.  He gets a $50 cash bonus, while we reach the conclusion this is not our day.

It turned out a third person at our table hit quads during the same Omaha blind -- but it wasn't us.  Our stack weakened to the point where we went all-in for our next 1,000 minutes later playing Texas Hold 'em with A-3 of hearts.  The blind was A-4-4 -- but of course, that gave another player three of a kind.  His 4's made us hit the door, with a badly-wounded 12th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "This is GOD'S day, sir!" the dealer at another table exclaimed at one point.  "Don't use language like that on God's day."

This dealer has a habit of being very irreverent -- throwing out comic insults (at least in his mind) without regard to race, gender or religion.  But we used that moment to comment to the players at our table, out of his earshot.

"Some of us went to church yesterday.  That's why we're here on Sunday."

We've mentioned here before that we keep a seventh-day Sabbath because that's what God instructed in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11), and it's the example Jesus set ....

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.  And he stood up to read. - Luke 4:16

Our study Bible says Jesus set an example of "regular worship."  That's true -- but the Bible specifies he kept Sabbaths in the synagogue, which many Jews do to this day.

Yet as we think about it, the dealer could in one sense be right.  That's because of another Bible verse....

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. - Psalm 118:24

We've heard some preachers mention this on the Sabbath, and try to confine this verse to one day of the week.  Our study Bible notes it also could be "a reference to Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles."

But hold on -- didn't God create every day of the week?  Genesis 1-2 shows He created all seven of them.  So we think the point of the verse in Psalm is to give God thanks for every day, rejoicing that He's given us one more day to live.  In this season of U.S. Thanksgiving Day, it's something to consider -- being thankful on more than one Thursday in November.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 145 final tables in 414 games (35.0%) - 24 cashes.

Poker Night 324: The Devil, You Say

A TV station in our area surprised us a few weeks ago, by making a big fuss about new license plates.  The station managers decided to exchange three news car tags which had the numbers 666 in them -- even though a fourth number followed the sixes.  Should you be afraid of that series of numbers?  That issue actually came up tonight at The Red Barn....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-7 offsuit

We're in the small blind, at a table which has been playing "friendly poker" before the flop most of the evening.  We won an early pot when our K-10 turned into a straight on the flop.  But we've been biding our time otherwise -- and with no one raising, this gives us no reason to change.  We call, and most of the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: 6c-6d-6h

Several players laugh at this, since enough people know the symbolism associated with those numbers.  "That's a beast of a flop!" we declare -- but we're not sure how many get our play on words.  (If you don't get that, your assignment is to read Revelation 13:11-18.)

After the commotion dies down, we check.  So does everyone else.

ON THE TURN: A

That's practically the best card we could see at this moment.  It gives us a full house -- but we bet 500, just in case.

"He's got the Ace," someone says.

"He could have a 6," another speculates.  That would give us quads -- but we realize to earn a 5,000-chip house-rule bonus for quads, we have to carry the hand all the way to the river.  So this bet actually should tell thinking players at the table we don't have quads.  We hope they get the "next best thing" message and fold.  Most of the table does, but one woman does not; she calls.

ON THE RIVER: 7

That card is really inconsequential.  What matters is what that woman has.  We think she most likely has an Ace of her own, which would mean we split the pot.  We offer 1,000, to show we mean business in case she's holding a smaller pair.  The woman responds by raising to 2,000.  Oh no -- could she be the one with quads?  We remain skeptical, and think this is a "dare and double dare" move.

"You'll have to show me the 6," we say as we call.  "I've got an Ace."

After we show our cards, the woman dramatically turns over 7 of spades.  Then 6 of spades!  She played suited connectors and hit it big!

"I knew he had an Ace," the player out of the hand repeats to someone else.  "He's been playing cautious all night."  Thanks for the tip.  At least he got our message; perhaps we should have read the woman's hint better.

We recovered our loss on the next hand, when 3-3 brought a third 3 on the flop.  We went all-in with 3,025 left and won.  Moments later, K-K brought another big gain.  We rolled to the one-hour break at 21,700 chips -- then won a couple more modest pots in the second hour.  A timely win with A-6 and a pair of 6's on the flop helped us reach the final table at 20,500.

But once there, we made a tactical blunder.  We held a Queen, saw Queen-high on the flop and only bet 8,000 chips instead of pushing completely.  A man stayed in with 5-6 and made a winning full house.  It came down to an all-in move with K-9 for us -- but a woman with K-K topped us, so we settled for a seventh-place finish.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I have a bone to pick with you," a man said as soon as we walked in the door tonight.  He called us over to the bar, and proceeded to disagree with the nice words we wrote here last week (and elsewhere online) about Mr. Wing.

"The service was terrible," the man told us.  So were the wing prices, he added -- even though we never went into detail about the food menu, because we didn't order from it.  The man claimed to speak for many when he concluded: "Your recommendation s*cked."

Instead of getting into a quarrel about it, we asked the man to forgive us.  We tried to follow a Biblical example....

Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors. - Matthew 6:13

But that man did not respond to our request by forgiving us.  That's also a Biblical example:

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13

We realize poker players can have differing opinions about everything from sports bars to the handling of pocket Jacks.  We've learned to accept those differences, without turning them into a big fuss.  Are you able to be that accepting?  That's really the approach which shows a more Biblical attitude of humility.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 115 final tables in 324 nights (35.5%) - 17 cashes.  Maybe we should give up the Thursday night games, because we've made seven out of the last nine final tables early in the week.

Poker Night 323: Anniversary Present

Several people were amazed at Lil Kim's Cove tonight, when we mentioned it was our fifth anniversary of live poker tournaments.  They couldn't believe we remembered the date.  But what happened during the first hour may have seemed even more unbelievable....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We've already had a roller-coaster ride, even though the table is playing relatively tight.  We made a straight on the flop holding 5-6 -- but only 150 at first, allowing two players to stay in and make flushes on the turn.  Their big betting cost us thousands, but we were wise to fold on the river before going all-in.  We've taken a couple of pots since then, including the Big Blind with 8-3.  Now we're in the small blind with this, and choose to limp in.  Most of the table gets in.

ON THE FLOP: 5-J-7

Triple J's look quite OK!  So in lead position for action, we offer 600.  That's too much for most of the table, but the dealer to our immediate right calls.

ON THE TURN: J

Whoa!!  J now stands for jackpot -- but we know we can't claim a 5,000-chip bonus for quads unless the hand goes all the way to the river.  So we check.  The dealer checks as well.

ON THE RIVER: 7

We play innocent and check again.  The dealer is in no mood for that -- and gives us even more than we expected.

"Four-thousand," he says.  Now it's time for what they call in TV poker "Hollywooding."

"Four-thousand?!?!?" we ask with mock astonishment.  We start counting our chips, because we're honestly not sure how many we have.

"Don't do it, man.  Don't do it," the dealer advises.

"That might put me all in," we say while we count.

"You don't want to do it."

"I shouldn't do it?!" we ask with an added measure of uncertainty in our voice.

"Don't do it."

Nope.  Our mind is made up.  "I'm going to do it," we say with a hint of resignation.  "I'll call."  Our count totals 3,875, slightly below the dealer's bet.

"But I've got a boat," our opponent says.  He flips over a 7, to show a full house.

"But I've got to call, when I've got quads."

We turn over the Jacks, and the table is stunned.  One man guessed we might have pocket Aces, but nobody saw quads coming.  We win a double-up and that 5,000-chip bonus.

"I had to bet.  I had a boat," our opponent says in frustration -- not once, but several times.  We can't really blame him.  But he ran into an unexpected buzz saw.  At least he was able to joke about it minutes later.

"You didn't have to call," he said.

"I know, but something told me I should call there."

"But you didn't have to listen to that something."

"I think it's called The Idiot's Guide to Poker," we said with a smile and a giggle.

That was the middle of three hands in a row which we won -- the following hand coming when we dealt ourselves Q-Q, and they prevailed.  We reached the one-hour break with more than 20,500 chips.  Trouble was, we lost half of them early in the second hour to a woman who made two big hands.  A comeback with Queens returned us to 15,500.  But a final push with A-Q and an Ace on the flop lost to a man who made three of a kind.  Our anniversary night ended in 16th place - at least better than five years ago.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A young man walked over to our table during the one-hour break, and told some players about a couple of habits he's given up recently.

"I've stopped drinking.  In fact, I gave up smoking pot."

One person described him as "clean and really sober."  Then he continued.

"Several months ago, I made a promise to the man upstairs that if he'd help me give up pot, I'd quit.  The man upstairs has given me the strength."

"God's helped you do it," we said -- making sure of which "man upstairs" he meant.  Indeed, he gave God the credit.  And he went on from there, to mention which church he attends every week -- a church which was familiar to a couple of people at the table, but not to us.

Two thoughts come to mind here.  First, we're glad God has helped the man overcome those habits.  If you have weaknesses or addictions in your life, God can help you as well.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:26

How does this happen?  How does God become your strength?  It begins by confessing your weak areas to God -- and admitting you need His help.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.... I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:6, 13

Our second thought may seem a bit nit-picky -- but it involves the wording that young man used.  We think some people use the phrase "man upstairs" to avoid possibly offending people with a direct mention of God.  The apostle Paul took a similar approach when he addressed a crowd in Athens....

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.  He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. - Acts 17:30-31

Paul never named the name of Jesus Christ in this mini-sermon -- but that's clearly the "person" he was describing.  A few men followed Paul after that address, and believed in God (verse 34).  Perhaps this young man's testimony (even posted here) will help others do the same.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 114 final tables in 323 nights (35.3%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 236 point wins in 992 games (23.8%), 76 final tables, 7 cashes plus 2 other wins.  No-River Hold 'em - 6 point wins in 34 games (17.6%), 5 final tables, 1 cash win.

We mentioned the qualifying tournament we won last Friday.  In addition, we came in seventh out of 203 players in a No-River tournament Wednesday.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $78,791, down $630.

Poker Night 310: K-9 Corpse

We now have two choices for live poker on Monday nights.  For now, we're opting for The Red Barn in Phenix City over The Suite in Columbus.  The Suite is a more attractive place, but The Red Barn is a little closer, the soft drinks are less expensive ($1.50 vs. $2.25) and our income is limited at the moment.

The Red Barn also has one quirky "house rule," which can turn a game upside-down.  It came into play for us tonight....

BLINDS: 500/1000

IN THE POCKET: K-9

We have been dealt "The Rodney," named after the Tournament Director.  If you win a pot with this hand, you earn a 5,000-chip bonus -- and if the cards are suited, the bonus doubles to 10,000.  Our K-9 is not, but it certainly has our attention at a semifinal table of six.  We start with 11,500 chips and are ready to call.  Then another player raises to 3,000, and we still join in.

ON THE FLOP: K-8-7

Top pair increases our hopes for a big hand.  We're in lead position, but decide to check and let the raiser to our left do the work.  That man bets 2,000; a woman across the table raises to 5,000.  We call, making a huge commitment to this pot.

ON THE TURN: 4 (as best we recall)

We have 3,500 left, and are ready to push if need be.  But we check again -- and are a bit relieved when the two other players in the hand check.

ON THE RIVER: 7

This gives us two pair, and we decide it's time to be forceful.  "I'm all-in," we announce -- dropping down our last 3,500, in the hope our opponents will surrender and fold.  Trouble is, they both have bigger chip stacks.

The man to our left didn't want to see that move.  "I've got to pay to see it," he decides.  He calls.  The woman across from us agrees, and calls as well.

"I have The Rodney," we say as we turn over our cards.  We feel confident, as the man to our left shows a 10 as if he missed a draw.

"King-Queen."  Noooooo!  The woman has a bigger kicker, wins the pot and eliminates us.  No wonder she raised on the flop (a detail we'd forgotten).

We leave the table in 12th place -- then walk over to Rodney the Tournament Director.  We explain what happened, and pretend to cry on his shoulder.

"I'm thinking about adding a 'bad beat' prize for The Rodney," he admits.  But we didn't have that tonight.  And come to think of it, we should have suggested making K-9 "wild" to trump everything else.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Today is National Honesty Day," we said to both tables where we played tonight.  We're not being dishonest and making that up.  We spotted it as a trending topic on Twitter during the day; it's the idea of an author in Maryland.

"It's a day all poker players can appreciate," we said both in person and online.  That made a couple of people smile, seeing the irony in our comment.  After all, bluffing is part of the game in poker -- and even a little misleading "trash talk" at times.  But in life....

Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.  Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. - Leviticus 19:35-36

The margin of our Bible indicates the "ephah" and "hin" were dry and liquid measures in Old Testament times.  In modern terms, wouldn't you be upset if a gallon jug of milk only contained three-fourths of a gallon?  God would be upset as well -- and that also applies to the things we say.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.... Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. - Proverbs 12:17, 19

You might be tempted to challenge the last part of that Scripture.  History is filled with famous false statements -- such as U.S. President Richard Nixon declaring, "I am not a crook," or President Bill Clinton emphasizing, "I did not sexual relations with that woman."

We like the way the Moffatt paraphrase puts verse 19: "Truth told endures; a lie lasts only for a little while."  And think of it another way: Jesus Christ who called Himself "the truth" (John 14:6) is ruling alongside God the Father eternally, while Revelation 22:15 warns someone who "loves and practices falsehood" eventually will be outside God's Kingdom.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 109 final tables in 310 games (35.2%) - 17 cashes.